Sapphires derived their name
from the Latin word “Sapphirus”, meaning “Blue”, and are often
referred to as the “Gem of the Heavens” or the “Celestial” gem as
their colors mirror the sky at different the times of day.

Legend
has it that the first person to wear Sapphire
was Prometheus, the rival of Zeus, who took the gemstone from Cacaus,
where he also stole fire from heaven for man. The Ancient Greeks adorned
themselves with Sapphires when
consulting the oracles at the temple of the Greek god Apollo in Delphi.
The Ancient Persians believed Sapphires
were a chip from the pedestal that supported the Earth, and that its
reflections gave the sky its colors.

The
word Sapphire,
stated without a prefix, implies Blue Sapphires only. Sapphires of all
other colors are assigned a color prefix or are collectively termed
“Fancy Sapphires”.